HIPAA
Notice of Privacy Practices 

Held & Rising Counseling
Effective Date: January 1, 2026

This Notice describes how your health information may be used and shared, and how you can access it. Please review carefully.

Our Commitment to Your Privacy
Held & Rising Counseling is committed to protecting the privacy of your Protected Health Information (PHI). PHI includes information related to your physical or mental health, the services you receive, and payment for those services, that can identify you.

We are required by law to:

• Protect the privacy of your PHI

• Provide you with this Notice

• Follow the duties and privacy practices described in this Notice

• Notify you if a breach occurs that may affect the privacy or security of your information
   

How We May Use or Share Your Information
We may use or share your PHI without written authorization for the purposes below:

1. Treatment
   To provide, coordinate, or manage your counseling services.
   Example: coordinating care or making referrals when clinically appropriate.

2. Payment
   To bill and collect payment for services provided.
   Example: submitting claims to insurance (if applicable), or processing payments.

3. Health Care Operations
   To support the operations of our practice.
   Example: quality improvement, documentation review, compliance, and practice management.

Disclosures Allowed or Required by Law
In certain situations, we may share PHI without your authorization, such as:

• Risk of harm: if needed to prevent a serious and imminent threat to your safety or the safety of others

• Abuse/neglect: reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence as required by law

• Legal matters: responding to lawful court orders, subpoenas, or legal processes

• Oversight and compliance: audits, inspections, investigations, or licensing requirements

• Law enforcement: when legally required or permitted

• Medical examiner/coroner: to assist with legal duties involving deceased individuals

Uses That Require Written Authorization
We will obtain your written permission before using or sharing your PHI for reasons not described in this Notice.

Psychotherapy Notes
Psychotherapy notes have extra protection under HIPAA and generally are not shared without your written authorization, except as allowed by law.

Marketing and Sale of Information
We do not use your PHI for marketing without authorization, and we never sell your PHI.

Your Rights
You have the right to:

• Request access to your records (paper or electronic)

• Request corrections (amendments) to your records

• Request restrictions on certain uses/disclosures (we may not be able to agree to all requests)

• Request confidential communication (example: only contact you by email or at a specific number)

• Request a list of disclosures (an “accounting of disclosures”)

• Request a paper copy of this Notice at any time

 
If you pay for a service in full out-of-pocket, you may request that we not disclose that information to your health plan.

Electronic Communication / Telehealth
We may use secure electronic systems for scheduling, documentation, billing, and communication. You may request preferred methods of communication. While we take privacy seriously, email/text may carry additional risks.

Complaints
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with Held & Rising Counseling and/or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights.
You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.

Contact
To ask questions, request records, or exercise your privacy rights, contact:
Held & Rising Counseling
Privacy Officer: Melissa Tauer Lee
Phone: 763-760-1609
Email: missytauerlee@heldandrisingcounseling.com
Website: www.heldandrisingcounseling.com

Changes to This Notice
We may update this Notice at any time. The updated version will apply to all PHI we maintain and will be available on our website upon request.